Playbook · B2B Ecommerce
Growth plan for wholesale and B2B ecommerce sellers
B2B buyers want to self-serve the easy orders and talk to a human for the big ones.
- 9 ranked moves
- 4-week sequence
- For wholesalers and B2B ecommerce sellers
Growth plan for wholesale and B2B ecommerce sellers: what should you actually do?
B2B ecommerce buyers research like consumers but buy like procurement teams: they want a self-serve catalogue and pricing, but still expect account management for large orders. Build a proper B2B storefront with net terms and bulk pricing, keep a sales-assisted path for larger accounts, and use trade shows and distributor relationships alongside digital demand generation.
Last updated 3 August 2026
| Play | Effort | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Build a self-serve reorder portal for existing customers first | 4-8 weeks to build | $2,000-$15,000/year depending on platform |
| Set up tiered, account-specific pricing rather than one public price list | 1-2 weeks | $0 if included in your platform plan |
| Offer net payment terms through an embedded financing option | 2-4 weeks to integrate | Transaction fees, typically 1.5-3% |
| Keep a sales-assisted path visible for large or custom orders | 1 week | $0 |
| Build out a digital catalogue with real specs, not just PDFs | 2-4 weeks depending on catalogue size | $0-$3,000 if outsourcing data entry |
| Attend and follow up systematically after trade shows | 1 week to build the sequence | $0-$500 |
| Build relationships with 3-5 distributors in adjacent categories | Ongoing, 2-3 weeks to first agreements | Margin share on distributed sales |
| Run account-based outreach to your top 50 target accounts | Ongoing | $0-$1,000/month for prospecting tools |
| Set up an email programme around restock timing and seasonal demand | 1 week | $0-$300/month |
Wholesale and B2B ecommerce sits in an awkward middle ground: buyers expect the self-serve convenience of consumer ecommerce (browse, add to cart, checkout) but still need net payment terms, bulk pricing tiers, and sometimes a human to negotiate a large order. Sellers who copy a pure D2C playbook lose the bigger accounts that need account management; sellers who stay entirely sales-led lose the smaller, repeat-order accounts that would happily self-serve if given the option.
This plan is for wholesale distributors and B2B sellers who have an existing customer base and product catalogue but are still running orders primarily through phone, email or a sales rep. It builds a self-serve layer for repeat and smaller orders while keeping a sales-assisted path for larger accounts.
- — A wholesale or B2B seller with an existing product catalogue and repeat customers
- — At least some orders currently placed manually via phone, email or PDF forms
- — A mix of small repeat-order accounts and a handful of large key accounts
- — Basic inventory or ERP data that can feed a digital catalogue
If every one of your orders is a bespoke, negotiated deal with no standard product catalogue, a self-serve storefront won't fit your business — stay focused on relationship-led sales instead.
The moves
Ranked, highest return first.
Work down the list. Each one names the first step so there's nothing to plan.
- 01
Build a self-serve reorder portal for existing customers first
Repeat orders from existing accounts are the easiest volume to move online, since there's no new trust to build — just convenience to add.
First step: Set up a password-protected ordering portal showing each customer's specific price list and past order history for one-click reordering.
- Tools
- Shopify Plus B2B, BigCommerce B2B Edition, or a dedicated B2B ecommerce platform
- Effort
- 4-8 weeks to build
- Cost
- $2,000-$15,000/year depending on platform
- 02
Set up tiered, account-specific pricing rather than one public price list
B2B pricing usually varies by volume commitment or relationship length; a single public price list either overcharges loyal accounts or undercuts your margin on small ones.
First step: Define 3-4 pricing tiers based on order volume or account history, and assign each existing customer to the correct tier in your ecommerce platform.
- Tools
- Your B2B ecommerce platform's pricing rules engine
- Effort
- 1-2 weeks
- Cost
- $0 if included in your platform plan
- 03
Offer net payment terms through an embedded financing option
Many B2B buyers expect net-30 or net-60 terms as standard. Not offering them pushes buyers back toward a competitor who does, even if your product is preferred.
First step: Set up an embedded B2B financing or invoicing option so approved accounts can check out on terms without manual invoicing each time.
- Tools
- Balance, Resolve Pay, Billtrust
- Effort
- 2-4 weeks to integrate
- Cost
- Transaction fees, typically 1.5-3%
- 04
Keep a sales-assisted path visible for large or custom orders
Removing sales entirely loses your largest accounts, who often need custom pricing, freight negotiation or a relationship they trust for a six-figure order.
First step: Add a clearly visible 'request a quote' or 'talk to sales' path alongside the self-serve catalogue for orders above a set threshold.
- Tools
- Your ecommerce platform, CRM
- Effort
- 1 week
- Cost
- $0
- 05
Build out a digital catalogue with real specs, not just PDFs
Buyers researching wholesale suppliers now search and compare online before ever calling. A PDF catalogue that isn't indexed by search engines is invisible to that research.
First step: Convert your PDF product catalogue into individual, searchable web pages with specs, MOQs, and lead times for your top 50 products.
- Tools
- Your ecommerce CMS
- Effort
- 2-4 weeks depending on catalogue size
- Cost
- $0-$3,000 if outsourcing data entry
- 06
Attend and follow up systematically after trade shows
Trade shows remain a major lead source in wholesale and B2B, but most leads collected in a booth badge scan never get a proper follow-up sequence.
First step: Set up a dedicated follow-up email sequence for trade show leads that goes out within 48 hours, not the standard 2-3 week delay most teams default to.
- Tools
- Your CRM, an email tool
- Effort
- 1 week to build the sequence
- Cost
- $0-$500
- 07
Build relationships with 3-5 distributors in adjacent categories
A distributor who already sells to your target buyer but doesn't carry a competing product can add your catalogue to their existing sales relationships at low cost to you.
First step: List distributors serving your target buyer with a complementary (non-competing) product line, and pitch the top 5 on a distribution or referral agreement.
- Tools
- Industry directories, trade association member lists
- Effort
- Ongoing, 2-3 weeks to first agreements
- Cost
- Margin share on distributed sales
- 08
Run account-based outreach to your top 50 target accounts
Large B2B ecommerce accounts are won through targeted outreach and relationship-building, not broad digital ads, since the buyer pool is small and identifiable.
First step: Build a list of your top 50 target accounts by revenue potential and assign each to a sales rep for a personalised outreach sequence.
- Tools
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator, your CRM
- Effort
- Ongoing
- Cost
- $0-$1,000/month for prospecting tools
- 09
Set up an email programme around restock timing and seasonal demand
B2B buyers reorder on predictable cycles. An email timed to when an account is likely running low outperforms generic promotional email.
First step: Analyse historical order data to find the average reorder cycle per account and set up an automated reminder email timed to it.
- Tools
- Your ERP or order history data, an email tool
- Effort
- 1 week
- Cost
- $0-$300/month
Sequence
What to do first, week by week.
Build the self-serve foundation
Set up the reorder portal, define pricing tiers, and add embedded net-terms checkout for approved accounts.
Digitise the catalogue
Convert top products from PDF to searchable web pages, and add a visible sales-assisted path for large orders.
Build outbound channels
Set up the trade show follow-up sequence and start outreach to distributors in adjacent categories.
Launch account-based outreach
Assign your top 50 target accounts to reps and launch the restock-timed email programme for existing customers.
Avoid
Where this usually goes wrong.
Copying a pure D2C ecommerce playbook wholesale
B2B buyers expect net terms, account-specific pricing and a sales path for large orders. A storefront with none of that loses accounts that would otherwise convert.
Removing sales reps entirely once a self-serve portal launches
Large accounts still want a relationship and custom terms. Keep a visible sales-assisted path for orders above a set threshold rather than forcing everyone through self-serve.
Leaving the product catalogue as an unsearchable PDF
Buyers now research suppliers online before calling. A catalogue that isn't indexed by search engines misses this research phase entirely.
Questions
Common questions.
Do we need a full B2B ecommerce platform, or can we start smaller?
You can start with a basic password-protected reorder portal for existing customers before investing in a full B2B ecommerce platform. Prove the reorder volume moves online first, then justify the bigger platform spend.
Should we offer the same prices online as our sales reps quote?
Set up account-specific pricing tiers rather than a single public price so your online portal reflects the same volume-based pricing your reps already negotiate, avoiding conflict between channels.
Is it worth keeping sales reps if we have a self-serve storefront?
Yes for larger or custom accounts. Self-serve works well for repeat, standard orders; large or complex orders still convert better with a sales-assisted path, so keep both options visible.
How important are trade shows still for B2B ecommerce sellers?
They remain a significant lead source in many wholesale categories, but the leads are only valuable with fast, systematic follow-up. A sequence sent within 48 hours converts meaningfully better than the typical multi-week delay.
More playbooks
Other plans worth reading.
Referral engine for professional services firms
ReadPlaybook · Seasonal BusinessMarketing plan for a seasonal business's off-season
ReadPlaybook · MarketplacesSupply-side acquisition plan for two-sided marketplaces
ReadPlaybook · B2B SaaSGrowth plan for a pre-revenue B2B SaaS
ReadPlaybook · EcommerceGrowth plan for an ecommerce store's first 100 orders
ReadPlaybook · LocalGrowth plan for a local service business
ReadElsewhere on gtm.help
Keep exploring.
Tool guides
What to use, what it costs, when it earns its keep.
BrowseTool comparisons
Head-to-head picks for the calls people get stuck on.
BrowseMarketing checklists
Task lists by business type and competitive situation.
BrowseStraight answers
The growth questions founders ask, answered with numbers.
BrowseGet started
Get this ranked for your business.
Paste your URL and you'll have a plan built from your site and competitors in about a minute.